• Fancy knitting a hen harrier?

    Check out these amazing knitted hen harriers! Inspired by the Skydancer project, enterprising volunteers Fariha and Siobhán picked up their knitting needles and created these fantastic hen harrier hand puppets for our education volunteers to use in primary schools. 

    The puppets have been a huge hit with the children and Fariha and Siobhán would now like to share their knitting pattern with you in the hope that…

  • Hen harriers over the Geltsdale hills

    Despite the ice and snow, it was a glorious day at Geltsdale yesterday. It's been a better winter for roosting hen harriers this year than it has been for a long time, so as the landscape gradually thaws, we're keeping fingers and toes crossed that some stick around to breed.

    Just picture it - you're out for a walk, it's a beautiful day and out of the corner of your eye you spot something against the skyline…

  • North Tynedale: Glad to be Back

    Stephen Temperley returns to Skydancer this month, reprising his role coordinating the North Tynedale hen harrier nest protection project. As the breeding season gets underway in earnest, he has some positive early news...

    Greetings from the RSPB Species Protection Coordinator for Northumberland! I'm back in post and happy to inform you that covert monitoring for signs of site interest, territoriality and pairing has…

  • Seen a harrier? ... Give us a call!

    As spring starts to seep into the uplands of northern England, all of us here at the RSPB would like to make a fresh appeal to those of you who are out and about in the hills over the spring and summer to keep an eye out for hen harriers and to call or email in with your sightings.

    After a disastrous breeding season in 2012 the English harrier population really need to have more success in 2013. Whilst we have a team…